Mary K. (Kilgannon) MacDonald

Mary K. MacDonald, 82 of Coatesville passed away December 11 with her husband of 53 years, Herb (Mac), by her side.

Mary K. MacDonald was born and raised Mary E. Kilgannon by her adoptive parents Edward and Cora Waibel in Carbondale PA.

She graduated from St. Rose H.S. in 1955 and St. Joseph School of Nursing in 1958.

She proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1964 to 1966 stationed in Montgomery, Alabama. During her time there she volunteered at the City of St. Jude to support the marchers participating in Martin Luther King’s “March from Selma”. She ended up serving coffee to Dr. King while he was making the final revisions of his “How Long, Not Long” speech. She would tell the story that she brought him four cups and eventually spoke with him asking “do you think what you are doing is going to make a difference?” he replied “I pray to God that it will”. He delivered that speech the following day at the conclusion of the March from Selma. This was a lifelong cherished memory for Mary.

She worked at the Coatesville VA and was the first Head Nurse of the Intensive Care Unit at the newly opened Paoli Memorial Hospital in the late 1960s.

During her years as a “Stay at Home Mom” she served as Library Mother at Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School, PTA member, and was among the first class of Eucharistic Ministers at St. Cecilia Church in Coatesville. This lead to another proud moment when she served as a Eucharistic Minister when Pope John Paul II visited Philadelphia in 1979.  

She returned to work in 1980 as a nurse at Devereaux. In 1991, she was instrumental in opening an eight-bed independent living facility called Success House. She retired from Devereaux as a supervisor in 1999.

Mary is survived by her husband of over 53 years, Herbert (Mac), two sons Martin MacDonald, his wife Katherine and Dr. Joseph MacDonald and his wife Leighanne. She adored nothing more in life than being a good wife, a great mother, and a grandmother who would forget all the rules she applied to her sons and spoil her six amazing grandchildren; Shea, Ian, Riley, Kaitlin, Sydney, and Brody.

Mary is also survived by natural and adoptive siblings, John Waibel and wife Cindy, Joe Waibel and wife Peg, Mary Miller and husband Don, Edward Kilgannon of Layton, UT, and Michael Kilgannon of Kutztown, PA.

Visitation will be held Sunday, Dec. 15, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Harris Mountain Funeral Home, 1030 E. Lincoln Hwy., Coatesville. Visitation will also be held before a mass of Christian Burial Monday, Dec. 16 at St. Peter Church, 2835 Manor Rd, Coatesville. Visitation 9:45 - 10:45 AM, Mass 11:00 AM.

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